In the hit CW show The 100, the relationship between Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin has always been complex and emotionally charged. Similarly, Bellamy’s romance with Grounder spy Echo has undergone its own evolution over the course of the series.
For fans, the debate continues to rage: does Bellamy truly love Clarke, his long-time co-leader and confidante? Or has his heart truly fallen for Echo, his loyal warrior girlfriend? Let’s analyze the textual and subtextual evidence to unravel where Bellamy’s heart lies.
Bellamy and Clarke’s bond
Since the show’s first season, Bellamy and Clarke have shared an undeniable connection. Initially adversaries, they soon came to rely on each other as co-leaders of the 100 delinquents sent to Earth. This partnership was cemented when Bellamy helped Clarke mercy-kill Atom, a doomed teen.
Their bond only grew stronger over time as they repeatedly saved each other’s lives and made difficult decisions together, for the good of their people. Fans picked up on their natural chemistry and unspoken devotion. The pair even earned the portmanteau “Bellarke” to describe their relationship.
Romantic hints between them included intimate touches, meaningful looks, and heartfelt conversations. Bellamy once told Clarke, “You’ve got such a big heart, Clarke. Don’t lose that.” He chose to stay by her side when she was ostracized for her actions at Mount Weather. Their reunion hugs have always been moving and intense.
In Season 3, when Clarke went missing, Bellamy was determined to find her, stating: “I left her once. I’m not doing it again.” And Clarke drew pictures of him during her isolation. Later, Bellamy comforted Clarke over her guilt about the destroyed City of Light.
In Season 4, they continued to motivate each other. Clarke told Bellamy he inspired her: “You want forgiveness, fine, I’ll give it to you. You’re forgiven.” And Bellamy would do anything to protect her, even volunteering for a suicide mission at her behest.
Before Praimfaya, they shared another emotional goodbye. Clarke desperately pleaded with him to use his head and his heart. Bellamy, visibly crushed, told her, “You’re gonna see me again.” They embraced warmly.
Reunited six years later, they crashed into a massive hug, both overwhelmed. Bellamy caressed Clarke’s face and promised he’d never forget her again. Clarke just gazed at him, stunned he was alive. Later, he comforted her over Madi’s kidnapping.
In Season 6, their trust was tested but their bond persevered. Clarke begged Bellamy to have faith in her over Josephine. He ultimately realized his mistake and saved Clarke’s mind. She awoke relieved, whispering “Bellamy” and embracing him.
Before Bellamy’s disappearance in Season 7, they gave each other strength and hope. Clarke said, “Bellamy, if anyone can make it through this, it’s you.” After his apparent death, Clarke was utterly devastated.
Bellamy and Echo’s romance
Bellamy and Echo’s relationship also evolved meaningfully over the seasons. They started as enemies, with Echo betraying and attempting to kill Bellamy. Over time, they built trust and understanding.
In Season 4, Bellamy refused to leave Echo to die in the collapsed Grounder bunker. This act of compassion resonated with her. Later in space, isolated from others, their bonding continued. Flashbacks showed them growing closer through deep conversation and training together.
After six years, Bellamy and Echo were a couple. They shared kisses, inside jokes, and affectionate touches. Echo said she found her home with him. She was jealous of Clarke’s connection with him, but he appeased her.
In Season 5, Bellamy helped Echo integrate into the group, saying: “Echo is loyal to me. I trust her.” When others questioned Echo’s presence, Bellamy firmly stated: “She’s one of us now.” He was protective of her.
Echo continued to support Bellamy, comforting him when he struggled with Octavia’s darkness and standing by him. She put her life on the line for his causes. When he was erased, she was determined to bring him back, telling Gabriel, “Bellamy Blake would do anything to save his family.”
In Season 7, with Bellamy’s disappearance, Echo was left heartbroken and driven by the need to rescue him. She told Clarke: “I loved him. But I failed him. Now I need to make it right.” Even after his death, she carried his memory and courage with her.
Evidence of Bellamy’s love
So where does Bellamy’s heart lie? There are arguments to be made for both women being his true love.
In Echo’s favor, Bellamy clearly cares for her. He fully accepts her into the group and stands by her. In peaceful moments, they are affectionate and content together. He seems to make her feel loved, whole, and complete.
Yet much evidence still points to his deeper love for Clarke. He is constantly motivated by protecting her and goes to extremes for her that he doesn’t for anyone else. She motivates him to be better while still accepting him for who he is.
Bellamy and Clarke share an intrinsic, electric bond. There is an unspoken understanding between them. At times, they communicate more through gazed and touches than actual words. They support each other’s burdens and forgive each other’s mistakes.
While Echo offers Bellamy compassion, belonging, and intimacy, Clarke offers him purpose, meaning, and an intimate understanding of his soul. She knows him in a way no one else does.
Concluding analysis
The textual evidence tilts strongly to Bellamy being truly, deeply in love with Clarke, despite his relationship with Echo.
His devotion to rescuing Clarke, even when angry at her, reveals where his heart lies. The sheer intensity of his reunion with Clarke after six years apart contrasts starkly with his greeting toward Echo.
Additionally, Bellamy’s grief and desperation after losing Clarke, both to apparent death and Josephine’s possession of her body, eclipses his concern over Echo in comparable situations.
The show drops hints that Bellamy and Clarke are soulmates – two leaders whose fates are eternally intertwined. Despite separation and obstacles, they find their way back to each other again and again.
In the finale, even when given the chance to live peacefully with Echo, Bellamy ultimately sacrifices himself to protect Clarke one last time. His final words are to comfort Clarke over his own death.
For a relationship never given a chance to blossom into explicit romance, Bellarke’s implicit love story still proves to be The 100’s most meaningful and enduring bond. It seems clear where Bellamy’s heart truly lies.
Bellamy’s Interactions With Clarke vs. Echo
| Type of Interaction | With Clarke | With Echo |
|---|---|---|
| Meaningful conversations | Many over the seasons | Some in time jump |
| Romantic gestures | Heartfelt words, caresses, hugs | Kisses and intimacy |
| Acts of sacrifice | Multiple huge sacrifices | Some smaller acts |
| Displays of affection | Deep understanding, forgiveness | Growing care and affection |
This table summarizes key examples of Bellamy’s interactions with Clarke and Echo over the seasons, showing where the deeper emotional intimacy and selfless devotion lies.
Echo’s Perspective
From Echo’s point of view, it must have been apparent where Bellamy’s heart truly was. She witnessed their tight bond firsthand.
In Season 5, Echo confronted Clarke about her hold on Bellamy, showing jealousy and insecurity. She asked Clarke to “let him go.” This demonstrated Echo’s awareness of Bellamy and Clarke’s profound connection.
Echo also saw how crushed Bellamy was when he lost Clarke, both to her apparent death and to Josephine possessing her body. His grief went beyond what one feels for just a friend. Echo did her best to comfort him but likely realized the depth of his love for Clarke.
When Bellamy died, Echo acknowledged to Clarke that she knew Bellamy loved Clarke. She said they both did, accepting that Clarke also held Bellamy’s heart in a different way.
So Echo recognized she and Clarke both loved Bellamy deeply, though Clarke’s claim on his heart took primacy. She loved him enough to make sacrifices for his well-being, including rescuing his soulmate Clarke.
Bellamy’s Mindset in Season 7
What was Bellamy thinking about relationships in The 100’s final season? There are clues that Clarke was still paramount in his mind and heart.
After being resurrected, Bellamy had lost his memories and sense of identity. Yet even in this blank state, he was inexplicably drawn to protect Clarke from Cadogan.
Later, when his memories returned, he kept it secret that Clarke was still alive. He concealed this vital information from Echo, his girlfriend at the time. Protecting Clarke was automatic for him.
Additionally, Bellamy’s loyalty started shifting back to his original family – Octavia and Clarke. He turned against Echo and Hope when they attacked Octavia. His promise to complete Clarke’s mission also overrode his ties to Echo.
So in Season 7, Bellamy’s actions subtly hinted that his devotion still lay with the two women who meant the most to him from the start – his sister and Clarke.
Possible Romantic Future
If Bellamy had survived the series, it seems likely he would have eventually pursued an explicit romantic relationship with Clarke down the road.
With the threat of war over, they would have had a chance to explore what they meant to each other outside of war and trauma. After years of suppressed feelings, those passions could finally be released.
Bellamy may have broken up with Echo gently, making it clear she still meant something to him but Clarke was the woman who truly held his heart. Echo may have accepted this, having already intuiting his deeper connection to Clarke.
Free to be together, Bellamy and Clarke could have built a romantic relationship rooted in their profound trust, intimacy and fiercely protective love. As leaders and partners, they likely would have created a warm, supportive family together.
Though their actual love story was left tragically unfinished, the depth of feeling between them was clear. Bellamy’s heart lay with Clarke until the end.